1 picture above in a note! :)

Some time ago I was heading down the trail from the top of our ridge down to the house when I saw this strange insect on a leaf. When I took this picture, I couldn't actually see how weird it looked until I saw it on my computer! Wow, is that a strange space alien or what?!! :D

I did some looking around and discovered that this is called an Assassin Bug. From Encyclopedia Britannica:

Assassin bug (family Reduviidae), any of about 4,000 species of insects in the true bug order, Heteroptera, that are characterized by a thin, necklike structure connecting the narrow head to the body. They range in size from 10 to 25 mm (0.4 to 1 inch). An assassin bug uses its short, three-segmented beak to suck the body fluids from its victims. A characteristic of this family is that the beak is curved and lies in a groove between the front legs. Although assassin bugs are generally black or dark brown, some species are brightly coloured. Most members of the family live outdoors and prey on other insects. However, some suck blood from vertebrates, including humans, and transmit diseases.